nob en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
- /nɑb/ (US)
- nŏb (US)
- /nɒb/ (UK)
- nŏb (UK)
Etymology
Pronunciation spelling of knob. Nobleman sense from white-nob (“white-head”) (18th century), referring to the powdered wigs used by those having or affecting upper middle-class status.
Meanings
-
(qualifier:now only in slang) The head.
"What a deep covey!" said a greasy butcher with his mouth open, a red night-cap on his nob, and pointing towards Jacco Maccacco.
1870 [1821], Pierce Egan, Life in London, London: Chatto and Windus, page 261:Then up Jack got. And home did trot, As fast as he could caper; Dame Gill did the job, To plaster his nob With vinegar and brown paper.
1810, Jack and Jill, and old Dame Gill, York: J. Kendrew, page 3:He aimed a dreadful chopper at Baily’s nob.
-
(qualifier:cribbage) A jack of the same suit as the card turned up by the dealer.
One for his nob.
- (slang) The glans penis, the sensitive bulbous structure at the end of the penis also known as the head of the penis. (Also spelled knob.)
- (broadly) (vulgar, slang, chiefly UK, Ireland) The penis; dick. (Also spelled knob.)
-
(broadly, derogatory) A contemptible person; dick. (Also spelled knob.)
I was in a garden […]A place no bloody nob could take away
2019 July 30, Elisa Braden, A Kiss from a Rogue:Col wasn’t impressed with Dick’s patronising comments and turned his back and rolled his eyes whilst at the same time mumbling “Fucking nob, Dick by name Dick by nature” under his breath.
(Can we date this quote?), Philip Mumby, Halfway House, page 85:Christine would help Kelly with her submission so she didn’t look like a complete nob! And in exchange Kelly would introduce and talk Christine through some of her artistic works: giving her a personal guided tour from her earliest through to her latest pieces.
2012, Laura J. Harris, Splintered, page 40:
-
(Ireland, UK, slang) A wealthy or influential person; a toff.
The masses have risen up and shot all their nobs.
1989, Richard Curtis, Ben Elton, Blackadder Goes Forth:
-
(alt-of, obsolete) Obsolete form of knob (“rounded protuberance”).
alt of knob
He spoke with a lisp, occasioned by the loss of two of his large front teeth, which allowed the tongue as he talked to appear through the opening in a round nob like a raspberry.
1851, Henry Mayhew, London Labour and the London Poor, published 1861:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| nobs | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
nobhead · pitch the nob · nob thatcher · Bald Nob · his nob · nobbish · nobby
Synonyms
Translations (27)
ru ши́шка (a wealthy or influential person; a toff) · cs kokos (slang: head) · pt ponta (slang: glans penis) · id palkon (slang: glans penis) · bg тиква (slang: head) · cs žalud (slang: glans penis) · bg големец (a wealthy or influential person; a toff) · hu uraság (a wealthy or influential person; a toff) · fi mutteri (slang: glans penis) · fi päänuppi (slang: head) · cs budka (slang: head) · cs zazobanec (a wealthy or influential person; a toff) · ru голо́вка полово́го чле́на (slang: glans penis) · fi kiho (a wealthy or influential person; a toff) · hu búra (slang: head) · cs hlavoun (a wealthy or influential person; a toff) · fi nuppi (slang: head) · ru залу́па (slang: glans penis) · fi iso kiho (a wealthy or influential person; a toff) · cs velké zvíře (a wealthy or influential person; a toff) · bg кратуна (slang: head) · hu kobak (slang: head) · pt mona (slang: head) · hu előkelőség (a wealthy or influential person; a toff) · fi isokenkäinen (a wealthy or influential person; a toff) · ru башка́ (slang: head) · pt trunfo (jack of the same suit as the card turned up by the dealer)